


Red Bicycle

by Es_Aitch



Series: So big it doesn't need a name. Just a great big "THE". [4]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Episode: s04e17-e18 The End of Time, Episode: s04e18 The End of Time (2), Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-26
Updated: 2013-03-26
Packaged: 2017-12-06 14:00:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/736481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Es_Aitch/pseuds/Es_Aitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How the End of Time should have ended.  The Doctor should have visited Rose earlier…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Red Bicycle

The Doctor had just left Verity.  He did not have much time left now.  Each word he spoke each step he took, brought him closer to his death.  He only had a few stops left and then if he died, if this was his end, he knew he could go in peace, having checked in on all his companions one last time.  He had two more stops to make:  Rose and Donna.  He had promised Wilf he would see him one more time and he planned to be there for Donna’s wedding.  As he set the coordinates, he knew just when he should visit Rose.

All that time ago, when he was wearing leather and had big ears, he had been teasing her about the ‘red bicycle when she was twelve.’  The truth was, he had seen a photo of her with it and had simply mentioned it since he was in such a good mood after saving everyone from the nanogenes.  But, when she responded with such shock, he had wondered what he might have blundered in saying anything.  Now, though, since he was altering all kinds of timelines in little ways, one more would not matter.  Who was he to say that it he had not given her the bike in the first place?

He had been walking down the street at a brisk pace.  He needed to be quick about things.  He was not really paying any attention to where he was going, when he was suddenly jostled by a man, “Sorry, so sorry.”  He said as he was about to continue on his way, but then he recognized the man.  Oh, he was younger, but there was no doubt of who the man was.  The Doctor smiled faintly.  “ _Now, the fates are on my side_ ,” he thought bitterly.  Still, there was no time for that.  Geoffrey Noble had been speaking to him while he was distracted with his thoughts, “Sir, are you all right?”  He met the eyes of the father of his future companion and smiled a bit more broadly, “I’m always all right.  But, I seem to have forgotten my change.  Do you have a quid I can borrow?”  Geoffrey was a generous man and smiled digging out his own pocket, “Christmas is a right time for that to happen.”  The Doctor smiled as he thought of Donna and her wedding dress with no pockets.  Geoffrey pulled out the coin and handed it to the Doctor, “Have that.  You have that on me.  And Happy Christmas.” 

With that, Geoffrey left him standing in the street.  The Doctor softly replied, “And you.”  A wave of pain hit him and he stumbled against the wall for support.  Then he continued on his way.  Down the block and around the corner lay his destination.  He used a universal credit card to make his purchase.  The shop-keep offered to help him assemble the bicycle, but the Doctor only asked him for space to work.  He had the entire thing assembled in about twenty minutes.  Then, he thanked the keep and walked it back to the TARDIS.  Time was running out and he still had one more stop to make after he saw Rose.

He made his way to the Powell Estates and once he reached their door, he used his sonic to scan the area.  They were thankfully asleep.  So, he let himself into their flat with his sonic.  He placed the bicycle next to the tree and turned to go.  He gave himself the indulgence of looking in on the young Rose as he was on his way out.  He leaned against the doorjamb and took in the sight of her.  Her room was already the bright pink that he would see in about seven years time.  He smiled to himself, realizing that some things would never change.  Finally, he crossed over to her and gently rested his hand upon her head.  He leaned over, kissed her on the forehead and whispered, “Happy Christmas.”  She mumbled in her sleep, “And you, Father Christmas.”

He smiled and made his journey back to the TARDIS.  While he was setting the coordinates for Donna’s wedding, he looked up the lottery numbers.  Even if he could not ensure her happiness, he would at least make sure she and her family would be as cared for as he could manage.  They would want for nothing material as long as they lived.  It was the best he could do for his best friend.  He popped into the shop, purchased the ticket, then made his way back to the TARDIS to arrive at the end of Donna’s wedding.  He could not risk being seen by her, not after what had happened at Christmas…

_Fin_


End file.
